48th meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD)

The ECDD is a scientific advisory body to WHO that consists of an independent group of experts in the field of drugs and medicines and drug dependence liability.

The 48th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence meeting will be held from 20-22nd October 2025. A public information session will be held on 20 October 2025.

This meeting will consider the following substances and make recommendations for their scheduling to the CND:

• the coca leaf;
• the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-FUBINACA;
• and the novel synthetic opioids N-pyrrolidino isotonitazene (Isotonitazepyne) and N-Desethyl etonitazene.

The WHO’s Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) is the body responsible for conducting reviews towards the scheduling, re-scheduling or de-scheduling of psychoactive substances. The recommendations of the WHO's ECDD are voted upon by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), typically at its March session.

This meeting marks a pivotal step in the international community’s coca review, offering the first WHO critical assessment in nearly 75 years. It could correct historical injustices, reconcile drug control with Indigenous rights, and reshape treaty schedules to permit traditional uses while maintaining controls on cocaine production.

ECDD Public Information Meeting: Registration

WHO Expert Committee meetings are closed to the public. However, a public information meeting will be held so that individuals and entities external to WHO may listen to an update on current and future activities of the ECDD Secretariat, and to provide comment on issues on the ECDD agenda.

Individuals or representatives of public and private institutions and civil society who wish to present information to committee members on issues related to the meeting agenda are invited to register their interest to attend a virtual information meeting on 20 October from 10.00 to 13.00 CEST (Central European Summer Time).

Participation in the information meeting is by registration only. Please register in advance using this registration link

There will be no opportunity for questions and answers during the Information Session. If you wish to make an oral presentation, you need to express your interest in making an intervention in advance using the steps outlined below. One request must be completed for each individual wishing to attend or present.

How to request to make an intervention at the Public Information Meeting

Once WHO has processed your registration, you will receive a form to complete where you can request:

1. To submit a written statement relating to items on the agenda of the upcoming meeting (until 15 October 2025 23:59 CEST)
2. To request a slot to make an oral presentation* (live or pre-recorded) relating to items on the agenda of the upcoming meeting (until 1 October 2025 23:59 CEST).

* There are a limited number of time slots available for presentations, therefore the ECDD Secretariat may not be able to accommodate all requests to be on the open session agenda. All requests for interventions will be considered, and further instructions will be sent to successful candidates after all submissions are received. Successful requests for presentations will be allocated approx. 3-5 minutes (tbc) at the meeting.